As a mage, I just want to pursue the truth

Chapter 183: Future Layout (4000)

In the cooperation on brain-computer connection VR, Tencent’s goal from the beginning to the end has been very clear, which is to build an ecosystem and make it comparable to that of smartphones.

What Lei Jun sees is virtual reality, while what Tencent sees is the vast entertainment ecosystem.

Because of this, both companies are very enthusiastic about this cooperation.

As for Kechuang Bio, Zheng ideally wants to lay the foundation for subsequent virtual reality.

Controlled nuclear fusion combined with artificial intelligence technology can greatly release productivity.

In the future, society will not be able to provide so many jobs for everyone, and the employment rate can be compressed to 50%. At this time, the employment structure can be adjusted to direct more people to the research field.

But not everyone is suitable for research. Virtual reality technology is the best entertainment product of the new era.

Lei Jun only sees the market for virtual reality, while Zheng Li sees the future society that he will lead through technological revolution.

This is not to say that Lei Jun has a narrow vision, but his background means that he can only look at the future from the perspective of an entrepreneur of the current era.

Zheng Li is an intelligent life that came to Blue Star from other more developed forms of society. Naturally, he will subconsciously promote the transformation of human society into a wizard society.

After Zheng Li's real body arrived in Kuala Lumpur and saw the lower-class people in the Chinatown where he lived, he was surprised by the unfriendly and exploitative nature of the Blue Star society towards the lower class.

Because the population of the Mage Alliance is cultivated through artificial womb technology, even the next generation of artificial people who have fallen to the bottom of the society can have free food, clothing, housing and transportation, as well as certain entertainment products.

So much so that even though Zheng Li has achieved breakthroughs in controlled nuclear fusion and artificial intelligence, he still has great doubts about whether the liberation of productivity can indirectly liberate the people at the bottom.

"Pony, after we have Kechuang Bio, we need to make some changes to the positioning of Black Shark." Ren Yu found Xiao Ma Ge and wanted to talk about the strategic plan in his mind.

"The concept of gaming phones is a pseudo-concept in itself, and the market segment it represents is too small. It has been more than three years since we acquired Black Shark. Even with the support of Tencent, Black Shark's market share has not grown much."

Tencent originally positioned Black Shark as a hardware product, a supplement to Tencent's strategy, and expectations were not high.

But the problem is that now with the advent of Science and Technology Innovation Future, Black Shark is a bit dispensable regardless of the prospects or current scale of brain-computer VR.

Brother Ma knew that Ren Yu must have a complete idea when reporting on his work. All he had to do was listen to him and then make the final decision:

"Black Shark can be sold or kept. Keeping Black Shark is just a piece of cake for Tencent. Tell me what you think first."

At this time, Tencent's Penguin Island has been delivered. The two stood in one of the office buildings on Penguin Island, looking at the sea view outside.

Ren Yu was poached from Huawei by Tencent and worked his way up to Chief Operating Officer.

Because he worked at Huawei, he also has a strong understanding of hardware:

“Black Shark can be kept, but it should not invest in the direction of gaming phones anymore.”

“It’s clear that there isn’t much prospect in this direction.”

"Black Shark should develop supporting hardware around brain-computer VR, or even participate in the industry chain of brain-computer VR."

"I was relieved after the sales came out. If it had failed, it would have been too difficult to gather the strength of the entire group."

Even at Ren Yu's level, if he wants to accomplish something, he still needs to show his achievements.

Only by achieving success can you obtain subsequent resource support.

If brain-computer connection VR fails to achieve the expected results, someone will naturally use this matter to attack him in internal struggles, and his voice will be reduced accordingly.

Ren Yu continued: "FB has already fully invested its resources in the VR field. FB is very wary of Futureverse."

FB paid close attention to Ke Chuang Future's brain-computer connected VR product before it came out.

FB's global vice president even went to Suzhou to meet Cheng Gang, hoping that FB would be able to participate in the future of science and technology innovation.

They expressed their willingness to exchange Quest for equity, and Zuckerberg asked his vice president to convey that if Zheng Li was willing, he could go to Singapore in person to negotiate.

Kechuang Bio did not agree to cooperate, but FB has been paying attention to the developments of brain-computer connection VR.

It was not until the emergence of brain-computer connection products that the potential for brain-computer connection VR to become popular around the world became clear.

FB struggled one last time and asked Ke Chuang Biotechnology whether the brain-computer connection VR technology could be licensed?
After being rejected, Zuckerberg was originally hesitant about cooperating with Musk's Neuralink. However, after Zuckerberg and Musk met and talked for a long time, the two sides reached a strategic cooperation.

The reason for the hesitation to cooperate with Neuralink is that Neuralink's technology is too far away from scientific and technological innovation. As a person who knows the inside story, Zuckerberg has serious doubts about Neuralink's technology.

What if CStone Biotech opens its technology in the future and they cannot obtain technology authorization from CStone Biotech through their cooperation with Neuralink?
Globally, Ke Chuang Bio is synonymous with brain-computer connection.

The brand recognition is higher than that of DJI. After all, the number of drone users is far less than that of brain-computer-connected mobile phones.

"Brain-computer-connected VR is not only very popular in China, but also just as popular abroad as in China. Tencent's ecosystem has a rare opportunity to enter overseas markets."

"We also need to increase investment in the VR field. Gaming phones are no longer suitable for the current development environment, and they should play their due role."

Pony was puzzled: "Mark, brain-computer connection VR has received the greatest support from the group."

"The traffic of the entire group is already giving way to VR. I can see a bright future for the VR industry."

The number of LOL players has been decreasing and there is a lack of fresh blood. Although it still holds the top position in China's PC game market, its stamina is clearly insufficient.

As the League of Legends e-sports industry entered its thirteenth year, the actual number of global viewers of the S-League has been declining year by year.

"Heroes' Doom" was developed by Tencent's Photon Studio. Tencent hopes that it can become the next global hit online game and improve Tencent's e-sports ecosystem.

Therefore, only three months after the launch of Heroes of Doom, leagues around the world are already being prepared.

Tencent has made great efforts to cultivate the VR industry ecosystem.

"But Black Shark has transformed into a supporting device for brain-computer-connected VR. What can the supporting devices do?"

"The only thing I can think of that has a market is speakers. We can make surround speakers specifically for brain-computer VR, so that players can feel more involved."

"But how many people will buy dedicated speakers? Isn't this a smaller market than gaming phones?"

Ren Yu explained: "No, speakers are just one aspect. Brain-computer connection VR can give users sound. But we can do more than just speakers."

"Human senses include vision, smell, touch, taste, hearing, etc. Hearing is what brain-computer connection VR itself can give to users."

"Even if Black Shark makes an enhanced speaker, it's just icing on the cake. My expectation for Black Shark is to make the function of the olfactory section and add a feeling that was not originally there."

"Black Shark can use enhanced speakers and external seats to build its brand in the early stages, and then develop olfactory supplementary equipment in the later stages."

The chairman of a company only needs to make decisions, and the specific content of the plan is the task of senior executives.

It’s not that Pony couldn’t think of the points mentioned by Ren Yu, but that he didn’t need to do this job. He only needed to judge the solutions provided by his subordinates.

The job of the top management of a company is simple: making decisions, and making decisions constantly.

In fact, very few executives make plans themselves. Most of them just put forward requirements and ask their subordinates to come up with plans. They then choose one and report it to higher-level executives.

This is also why many high-level leaders do not want to retire, because they do not need to do the specific administrative work themselves and the work intensity is not high.

Pony thought Mark was crazy: "Sense of smell? I personally feel that taste is more reliable than smell. At least taste has some basic flavors." "The reason why humans can develop monitors to simulate so many colors is because of the existence of the three primary colors. But humans have tens of thousands of senses of smell."

"And the smells can't be integrated. We want to develop olfactory supplementation equipment, which is too difficult."

Pony comes from a science and engineering background and is not easily fooled.

I still have some basic judgment.

There are three primary colors because the human eye has a trichromatic vision system and only three types of photoreceptor cells.

If humans had more than three types of photoreceptor cells, the three primary colors would not be able to become the basic principle of current displays.

Human progress in taste receptors has gone much further than in smell.

Humans have done a lot of research on which gene fragments have high expression effects on different tastes.

Ren Yu nodded and said, "Yes, I know it's difficult."

Pony interrupted, "It's very difficult."

Ren Yu continued to nod: "Yes, it is very difficult."

“But we can’t not do it just because it’s difficult.”

"Geely can now do things without having to consider profits."

"Instead of letting Black Shark continue to exist half-dead, it is better to let them do something more meaningful."

"The most important brain-computer connection patent for VR is still in the hands of Kechuang Biotechnology."

"Although the agreement signed between Sinovation Biotech and Sinovation Future is an exclusive licensing agreement for ten years."

“But what if Sinovation Biotech doesn’t license Sinovation’s technology to us ten years later?”

Since brain-computer connection technology is the core technology of Kechuang Biotechnology, the brain-computer connection technology is only granted to Kechuang Future in the form of patent authorization.

The development of brain-computer connection chips is also in the hands of Kechuang Bio, which will be provided to Kechuang Future in the form of supplies.

The super lithium batteries used for brain-computer connection VR are also supplied by Ke Chuang Bio.

Because mobile phone batteries and car batteries are different, the graphene coating manufacturing machine created by Ke Chuang Bio is specially developed for car batteries.

Therefore, none of the domestic mobile phone manufacturers use super lithium battery technology.

When Lei Jun met Zheng Li in Singapore, he specifically mentioned super lithium batteries and asked if they could be supplied to Xiaomi mobile phones.

It is precisely because the ownership of brain-computer connection technology is not in the hands of Kechuang Future that Tencent can obtain a 40% stake.

"Ten years from now, if virtual reality is really going to be realized, what should we do if the government feels that state-owned enterprises need to enter the market and replace Tencent?"

"Ten years is a long time, but it is also short. We need to plan ahead."

“Brain-computer-connected VR is just an entertainment device now, but that doesn’t mean it will still be an entertainment device ten years later.”

"It is difficult to make olfactory devices, but we have ten years to build our own technological barriers in this field."

"Even if things change in the future, Sinovation Biotech can't get around us. We can continue to cooperate."

Ren Yu has a long-term strategic vision.

"I also know that there are tens of thousands of smells, and that smells don't have basic colors or basic flavors like taste and vision."

"But it is precisely because it is difficult that it is our opportunity. It is precisely because it is difficult that it is almost unrealistic to achieve the conversion of olfactory EEG signals through brain-computer connection."

"We can specialize in this area, initially as a peripheral, and later embedded in brain-computer VR."

"Since Tencent is planning to make hardware, it might as well take a long-term approach."

"Instead of sticking to the current field of gaming phones."

All I can say is that the situation is different.

When Tencent acquired Black Shark, it was the final expansion period for major Internet companies. ByteDance, Ali, and Qiandu were all making big moves in hardware.

Tencent couldn't help but acquire Black Shark with a small amount of money. The price of 3 to 4 billion is indeed a small amount for Tencent.

If Tencent had known the future and had the opportunity to cooperate with Kechuang Biotechnology, Pony would definitely not have chosen to acquire Black Shark.

After listening to Ren Yu's words, Pony was convinced.

Although it is unlikely that Kechuang Bio will abandon them and start anew in ten years.

But Zheng Li sold 8% of the shares to China Investment Group, which made Pony think, what if?
It is better to plan ahead now than to do it ten years later.

It’s not that Tencent can’t afford to maintain a dedicated laboratory.

In recent years, when China's investment circle conducts venture capital investment, the most important thing they value is whether the company has hard technology.

This is due to both the changes brought about by scientific and technological innovation and the general environment, which has resulted in the previous way of playing no longer being able to continue.

Starting a business based on market size advantages and business models is no longer in line with the general environment.

Pony nodded and said, "You convinced me, but we don't have to leave this to Black Shark."

“Package and sell Black Shark Technology, and then set up a new company to do this.”

"Please prepare some materials for your presentation at the board meeting."

Tencent plans to engage in hard technology research and development, and Ke Chuang Bio has always been synonymous with hard technology in China.

The definition of hard technology in Qiandu Encyclopedia is key core technologies that can represent the most advanced level of world scientific and technological development, lead a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and play a significant supporting role in economic and social development.

Kechuang Bio's brain-computer connection technology couldn't be more advanced.

However, in recent years, Kechuang Bio has not relaxed its investment in technological research and development.

Zheng Li was the first to pioneer brain-computer connection technology, and the subsequent brain-computer connection VR technology was also provided by Zheng Li.

However, the brain-computer connection chip was independently developed by Ke Chuang Biotechnology, and Zheng Li has no technical reserves in the silicon-based semiconductor industry.

The Mage Alliance does not use silicon-based computers. The mages use carbon-based computer technology.

At this time, Zheng Li's clone on Clark Island was conducting crucial research.

Sorry, I was out yesterday and only made up for it today after I got home, including the 4K words I owed last time.

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(End of this chapter)